Lutheran Church of Australia defines marriage as follows:

(a) The institution called marriage comes from God, the creator of humankind. Marriage is part of the created social order. So society, through customs or legislation, decides when a man and a woman are lawfully married (Genesis 1:27,28; 2:18–24; Matthew 19:6; 1 Corinthians 7:39).

(b) Marriage is the union of a man and a woman. This union excludes all other people. It is publicly and voluntarily entered into for the whole life (Matthew 19:6; 1 Corinthians 7:39).

What does God say?

The basic question for Christians is not: what does society tolerate and practise, but, what is God’s will with regard to living together as husband and wife without being legally married? This question is essential both for those Christians who wish to be married according to the law of the land and also for those who wish to cohabit without going through the legal form of marriage.

The answers, in brief, to this question are:

• Christians will have due respect for the laws of the land with regard to marriage, where they do not conflict with God’s word.
• Marriage is not simply a human custom. God instituted marriage. It arises not merely from human needs. It exists by divine decision and decree.
• Christians take seriously what God says about marriage. Marriage is God’s gift. It is a lifelong union between a man and a woman. It is a total commitment, total giving. In terms of relationship, it is like Christ and his church (Ephesians 5:22,32) or God and God’s people in the Old Testament (Isaiah 54: 5,6).
• For Christians, to be married is to live in a most intimate relationship. In marriage, husband and wife daily forgive one another as Christ their Lord daily forgives them. They serve one another in all the dimensions of love. They bear witness to the world about God’s will and purpose for marriage.
• With these answers in mind, Christians who want to live together as husband and wife will seek the blessing of the Lord upon their union through word and prayer and in the fellowship of the congregation.